Before geologists accepted the continental drift theory, paleontologists knew that certain fossils of ancient land creatures could be found on continents that are separated by thousands of miles of ocean. For example, fossils of ancient reptiles called Cynognathus and Mesosaurus have been found on South America and Africa.
Wegener, trained as an astronomer, used biology, botany, and geology describe Pangaea and continental drift. For example, fossils of the ancient reptile mesosaurus are only found in southern Africa and South America. Mesosaurus, a freshwater reptile only one meter (3.3 feet) long, could not have swum the Atlantic Ocean.
Fossil records are strong evidence that the continents do drift. Answer 5: Fossils are formed when living organisms (plants or animals) die and become buried in dirt, sand or mud. Over time, the organism decays and the area it occupied is replaced with inorganic rock.
We can use fossils to re-construct how our continents were, to re-trace continental drift and calculate how they were spread out on the earth millions of years ago. Fossils show that the continents drifted because similar fossils were found where the continents were together millions of years ago.
Alfred Wegener proposed that the continents were once united into a single supercontinent named Pangaea, meaning all earth in ancient Greek. He suggested that Pangaea broke up long ago and that the continents then moved to their current positions. He called his hypothesis continental drift.
Continental drift was a theory that explained how continents shift position on Earth's surface. Set forth in 1912 by Alfred Wegener, a geophysicist and meteorologist, continental drift also explained why look-alike animal and plant fossils, and similar rock formations, are found on different continents.
When assembling his maps, Ortelius noted that the coastlines of the continents appear to fit together. He suggested that the continents were once joined and that the Americas were “torn away” from Europe and Africa, most likely from earthquakes and other natural events.
Early Evidence for Continental Drift Hypothesis2: Snider-Pellegrini's map showing the continental fit and separation, 1858. ... 3: Map of world elevations. ... 4: Image showing fossils that connect the continents of Gondwana (the southern continents of Pangea).
What two aspects of Wegener's continental drift hypothesis were objectionable to most Earth scientists? His inability to identify a credible mechanism for continental drift and his suggestion that larger and sturdier continents broke through thinner oceanic crust like ice breakers cut through ice.
January 6, 1912: Alfred Wegener Presents His Theory of Continental Drift. The notion that the continents were once joined together dates back to at least the 16th century, with the Flemish cartographer and geographer Abraham Ortelius.
scientist Alfred WegenerThe theory of continental drift is most associated with the scientist Alfred Wegener. In the early 20th century, Wegener published a paper explaining his theory that the continental landmasses were “drifting” across the Earth, sometimes plowing through oceans and into each other.
Scientists have long noticed the similarity between the two coastlines, but it was not until the 20th century that evidence could support a theory that the continents were once connected. In 1912 a German meteorologist named Alfred Wegener introduced the first detailed and comprehensive theory of continental drift.
The theory of continental drift is most associated with the scientist Alfred Wegener. In the early 20th century, Wegener published a paper explaining his theory that the continental landmass es were “drifting” across the Earth, sometimes plowing through oceans and into each other.
The presence of mesosaurus suggests a single habitat with many lakes and rivers. Wegener also studied plant fossils from the frigid Arctic archipelago of Svalbard, Norway. These plants were not the hardy specimen s adapt ed to survive in the Arctic climate.
Some of the most dynamic sites of tectonic activity are seafloor spreading zones and giant rift valleys. In the process of seafloor spreading, molten rock rises from within the Earth and adds new seafloor ( oceanic crust) to the edges of the old. Seafloor spreading is most dynamic along giant underwater mountain ranges known as mid-ocean ridge s.
Today, we know that the continents rest on massive slab s of rock called tectonic plate s. The plates are always moving and interacting in a process called plate tectonics. The continents are still moving today. Some of the most dynamic sites of tectonic activity are seafloor spreading zones and giant rift valleys.
The North American and Eurasian tectonic plates, for example, are separated by the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The two continents are moving away from each other at the rate of about 2.5 centimeters (1 inch) per year. Rift valley s are sites where a continental landmass is ripping itself apart.
Rift valley s are sites where a continental landmass is ripping itself apart. Africa, for example, will eventually split along the Great Rift Valley system. What is now a single continent will emerge as two—one on the African plate and the other on the smaller Somali plate.
Pangaea existed about 240 million years ago. By about 200 million years ago, this supercontinent began breaking up. Over millions of years, Pangaea separated into pieces that moved away from one another. These pieces slowly assumed their positions as the continent we recognize today.
Fossils are formed when living organisms (plants or animals) die and become buried in dirt, sand or mud. Over time, the organism decays and the area it occupied is replaced with inorganic rock. Fossils from certain organisms have been found in similar rock formations but on different parts of the planet.
Fossils are the buried pieces of animals from a long time ago. We know that some animals only live in certain areas -- for instance, if you found a fossil of a fish, you would know that at the time when the fish was alive that part of the world was an aquatic environment.